Wireless Related Posts

Today, the FCC cast a series of votes that set the stage for the incentive auction to move toward its slated March 2016 start. The results of the votes, however, are a mixed bag and leave significant wireless industry concerns unanswered. On the one hand, the FCC has finally resolved the protracted debate on the…

In the hypercompetitive wireless market, mobile service providers are constantly pushing the envelope to bring better, faster and cheaper services to consumers. Such is the case with the ability to make voice calls over Wi-Fi networks, which enables consumers to make calls in areas that are challenging to serve, like deep indoors, underground and in…

Additional reactions to Auction 97 are emerging with everyone putting their own spin on the results. First, in a blog, T-Mobile offered its view, calling the auction a disaster for U.S. consumers. Hard to figure how they can reach that result. The auction reallocated 50 MHz of valuable paired spectrum to the wireless industry –…

TruePosition and its fully-controlled FindMe911 coalition is at it again, spreading misinformation and ill-informed criticisms of the APCO, NENA, and Wireless Industry Roadmap for Improving Location Accuracy. Others have blogged to explain the benefits and merits of the Roadmap, and it’s our experience that the more people hear about the voluntary agreement and fully understand…

A few weeks ago, a group of advocates calling themselves “T-Mobile Petition Supporters” filed an ex parte purporting to show that the Commission should grant T-Mobile’s data roaming petition. T-Mobile itself then weighed in with yet another letter in the record. Neither filing offers anything new of substance, much less provides any basis to grant T-Mobile’s…

The following statement may be attributed to Joan Marsh, AT&T Vice President of Federal Regulatory: “We commend the FCC for modernizing and streamlining the cellular licensing rules by transitioning from site-by-site to geographic area licensing. The site-by-site cellular licensing regime was put in place more than 30 years ago. By its actions yesterday, the FCC…

The following may be attributed to an AT&T spokesperson: “Today’s announcement by the White House, if acted upon by the FCC, would be a mistake that will do tremendous harm to the Internet and to U.S. national interests. It is a complete reversal of a bipartisan policy that has been in place since the Clinton…

In the last couple weeks, in a series of meetings with the FCC, T-Mobile continued its on-going campaign for rate regulation of roaming services. T-Mobile frames its argument as a request for clarification. But make no mistake – T-Mobile is not seeking a clarification of the Commission’s 2011 Data Roaming Rules. It is instead seeking…

I was very encouraged last week after reading a blog by Roger Sherman, Chief of the FCC’s Wireless Bureau, on the Commission’s draft report and order to modernize and streamline the rules for cellular licenses in the 800 MHz band. During the year that the FCC set aside spectrum for the first cellular licenses, Ronald…

A couple months ago, the FCC unanimously adopted an order streamlining the rules for tower marking and lighting. That was the first in a series of Wireless Bureau items designed to remove regulatory obstacles to clear the way for more efficient broadband deployment. The Bureau is now moving forward with an even more ambitious effort to rationalize…